Momentary Unforgotten Forever
by Mikami Yuriko
Summary: Maeda's trip to the US was a success in more ways than one. PAIRING: Maeda x Aya. WARNING: OOC, WAFF, FLUFF. ONESHOT!


**Momentary, Unforgotten, Forever**

**By: Mikami Yuriko**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. All belong to SquareEnix.**

**A/N: My first Aya x Maeda pairing. Actually, it's my first PE fic. I just thought that Maeda deserved more from Aya after enduring all that he did in the game! Besides, he was cute! Poor nerdy Japanese dude! **

**WARNING: OOC, WAFF, FLUFF**

They were alone…for a few moments at the opera house…He shivered at that thought unconsciously.

This was the place where Eve had first struck. Almost everyone at the scene at that time had been burned alive.

He fidgeted in his seat a bit. His seat, just like everyone else's had been occupied by a person who had been a victim of Eve's sadistic act. Knowing that his chair had been once occupied by such a person made him feel uncomfortable…

He shook his head.

No. He shouldn't think of things like that. That was in the past.

'More like a week ago…' he thought with slight nervousness.

It was a week…that felt more like an eternity.

He shook his head once more. He was getting sidetracked again! He turned to his left and there saw the object of his affection. Detective Aya Brea.

He smiled as he looked at her. No! He wasn't merely looking! He was gazing at her. She was easy on the eyes…aesthetically pleasing. But her physical appearance wasn't what drew the eccentric Japanese scientist to the detective…

No…It wasn't just her ethereal visage.

It was her spirit. Yes; it was the strong will that lived within her that drew him to her…She was strong…she was steadfast…unfaltering…

And yet, she was kind, gentle…courageous.

She was…perfect.

That was why he paled by comparison. Compared to her, he was lackluster. He? He inwardly scoffed at that. He wasn't even considered a man compared to her! She was more of a man than he was!

That didn't bother him…Not really…

What bothered him was that with her being the way she was and with him being the way he was, there was no way that she would ever get to notice him…Or his feelings. Granted that he had met her only a few days prior; but for him, it seemed as if they had lived a lifetime together. He had gotten to know more of her intimate life rather than most of her colleagues or even her own family members.

And at that knowledge, he felt proud…and happy.

It was then that he could say that he knew Detective Aya Brea.

Well, so much for introspection and reminiscence. Maeda sighed. There was just no way to talk to her. He had thought that this would be the perfect time for him to talk to her. But then, again, fate had interrupted.

Seeing that Daniel and Ben were away, he had thought that perhaps, he would get to exchange a few words with her…But before he could even muster enough courage to do so, he found himself being roughly shoved from his seat, from being next to her, to the next seat over.

Ben had decided to sit beside Aya…Which left him out in the cold.

Oh well.

And so, he had watched the entire rendition, disappointed.

xxxxx

The play had ended and now the four were heading out of the hall.

"Dad…I'm tired…"

That was Ben.

Daniel nodded and carried his son. He then turned to Aya and Maeda with an apologetic look on his face, "Well, I hate to do this to you two, but I have to take Ben home now."

"It's alright Daniel. You take care of Ben. Maeda and I would be fine." Aya spoke firmly, with a gentle smile on her face.

"You sure?" asked Daniel with an arched eyebrow, while holding Ben up.

"Yes. We'll be fine, won't we Maeda?" she asked, turning to look at the down blushing Japanese.

"Oh…errr…erm…Yes…yes, of course…You…you take care Daniel…and Ben too!" he stammered, cursing himself for having such cowardice.

'Men aren't supposed to be like this! No wonder Daniel said that no girl would ever-' His thoughts were suddenly interrupted as he heard her voice.

"Maeda?" Aya spoke, touching his shoulder.

He immediately shivered at the contact and made him jump a step backwards, stumbling a bit, "Oh…! Aya…I ah…well…huh?" he asked, confused as he adjusted his glasses with shaking fingers. Aya merely put a hand over her lips as she giggled.

Maeda blushed and bit his lip. Wanting to distract himself, he looked from left to right and noticed that Daniel and Ben were nowhere to be found.

"Where are Daniel and Ben?" he asked, quelling the nervousness within as he considered his disposition with Aya.

Being alone…with her.

He could feel his heart racing and his knees beginning to buckle as he looked at her from top to bottom, clearly appreciating her feminine attributes.

"They've already gone. They tried saying goodbye to you but you spaced out." she told him.

"Oh…" was all that he could manage to say.

She shrugged her shoulders, "Well, let's go. It's freezing out here."

She walked past him and there waited for a taxi. She whistled and there, he looked on, amazed at such a display. 'She…she could do that?' he thought in appreciation as he saw a taxi park at the side of pavement.

'It must be a common practice here…' he thought.

"Well, come on Maeda!" she called out to him.

He snapped out of his reverie and muttered a quick and apologetic, "Oh!" and followed suit after seeing her get within the yellow cab.

A moment later, they drove off.

Maeda sat in the seat uncomfortably. He didn't know how he was to position himself at that moment. Would he stay silent? Would he speak to her? And if so, what would he say? And if he indeed said something, would she respond? And if she did, would it be a favorable response?

"Ugh…" he groaned as he felt a wave of pain in his head as he considered the endless possibilities in his head.

"You alright?"

He stiffened and immediately opened his shut eyes and turned to his left to look at her sea-foam green eyes and there, he blushed a beet red, "Erm…O-of course I am…hahaha…" he finished lamely, laughing nervously, scratching the back of his head.

She frowned and looked at him solemnly, "You sure? You don't look so hot. Maybe you're having a fever. Here, let me check…" she trailed move, moving a bit closer to him.

His brown eyes widened as he saw her get closer to him, and before he could verbally protest, he felt her seated right next to him with her gentle and soft palm on his forehead.

He stifled a moan as he felt electrical jolts surge through him. And with the last ounce of pride and dignity that he had within his whole body, he dared not speak a word.

While no words came, his body had responded. He leaned back, excusing himself from her warm touch and gathered his voice, "Erm…Aya…Well, I'm fine really."

She nodded, "Well, that's a relief. I don't want you to be ill in your flight tomorrow."

That was right.

His flight. He had nearly forgotten all about that…Tomorrow he would go back to his beloved Nippon. And then…he would never see her again…

He sighed and before he knew it, the cab had rolled to a gentle stop. He blinked as he saw Aya take out her wallet from her purse. She was going to pay for the fare? No way Jose! His trembling but swift hand intercepted hers just before she could reach the driver and she looked at him, puzzled.

He smiled at her apologetically, "No Aya. I should pay." He turned to the driver and quickly handed him ten dollars, "Keep…the change." he said in a slightly trembling voice.

A moment later, he got out of the cab and helped Aya out of it. He blinked; he didn't even know where they were! He looked around and saw that they were by the hotel that he was staying at.

He blushed.

She was…dropping him off…? And then, going home…alone?

That was simply preposterous! As a man, it should be him doing that! And not the other way around!

He turned to look at her, worried that she might be feeling cold. He felt relieved as he saw that she was nice and warm within her thick coat.

"So…aa…erm…I guess this is…goodbye huh…?" he asked her, his eyes saddened at the knowledge of his own departure.

She smiled sadly, "Yes…I suppose so."

"But…"

There flickered the flame of hope within his eyes as she said that word.

She smiled again, cheerfully this time, "We'll keep in touch. You have my number right?"

He blinked; no! He didn't! How stupid could he have been? They had been so busy about thinking of Eve that even about basic formalities such as taking a friend's number had been all forgotten!

He stumbled forward, losing his footing as he fumbled within his pockets for a pen and paper. Drat. He was probably looking quite clumsy in her eyes…

His heart quickened as he altogether lost his footing…and there…

"Ooof!" he muttered as he collided with something…

Something warm…and soft.

He looked up and saw that he had fallen within her arms. She had been holding him up, "Whoa there. You alright?"

That was the second time that she had asked him that.

'How…mortifying…' he thought with a deep blush on the face. Without delay, he immediately staggered to his feet and arranged his glasses, "Erm…S-sorry about that…Anyway…Um…I uh…I don't have your number Aya…I'm sorry." he told her, bowing slightly.

Aya blushed as she saw his bowing form. It wasn't that she felt offended; it was just that his actions were drawing attention from nearby passersby-s.

"It's alright Maeda. Here," she said, quickly scribbling a note on her handkerchief and giving it to him.

Maeda blinked, "F-for me…?"

She laughed, "Who else?"

"Thanks Aya…But…your handkerchief…"

She shook her head, cutting him off, "You keep it. Think of it as a souvenir."

At that, he smiled, "Thanks."

"Well, I better get going. Bye Maeda." she said before turning away.

Maeda blinked, "What? Wait Aya! Where are you going?"

Aya turned to him, "I'm walking home. There's no sense in taking a cab. It's just a few blocks down the road."

Maeda, feeling a bit emboldened strode up to her as firmly as his frail countenance would allow him, and spoke, "No Aya. You've looked out for me the last few days…Now, it's my turn."

She looked at seem questioningly, as if to ask him "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Errr…I mean, I better walk you home…Um…It's not safe…"

She chuckled, "If I can kill Eve and the Ultimate Being, I think I can handle a few muggers."

"But that's…! I mean, come on Aya."

She saw the pleading look in his eyes. She relented, "All right. Come on."

The trip to her home was a relatively silent one. He had a lot to tell her and had told himself that this would be the time to express them. It had been perfect he deemed. They were alone…and the ambience was perfect.

It was dark but the moon provided the luminescence that was needed.

But then, he had procrastinated. He wanted to gather his courage before telling her anything…But then, his procrastination had led him to not tell her anything.

And now, their little walk had come to an end.

'It had been that long already?' he thought to himself, mentally panicking.

Aya smiled at him, "Well, here's my stop. Thanks Maeda."

He scratched his head shyly, smiling, "No problem Aya…You…you take care…"

She laughed, "I should be the one telling you that."

He blushed; she was right. New York wasn't all that safe and with a skinny nerd like him walking alone in the dark at such a late hour, he was definitely asking for trouble. But he didn't care. If that danger meant that he got to walk Aya home, then he would brave it.

He was a man after all.

He may be a skinny nerd, but he had honor.

He would swear to protect his lady.

His lady…?

He blushed at that thought.

"Maeda."

He blinked; he had spaced out on her again, hadn't he? Damn! Damn brain for rambling like that!

"You were doing it again."

"Erm…sorry…"

She chuckled, breaking a veil of aloofness within him, "Well, be careful on the way back alright?"

He nodded, "O-okay…Goodnight…"

With a nod, she turned away and there, he gritted his teeth. That's right, he hadn't told her yet!

"Aya…! Wait…"

She turned, "What is it Maeda?"

Again, he found himself tongue-tied but he forced himself to speak; this was the last chance that he would ever get to tell her.

He took a deep breath and looked into her sea-foamed green eyes. Bad move…

He was falling…drowning within them…

"Aya…"

"What?"

He sighed, "I…I like you…"

There. He said it. He had better go now.

He turned his heel and began to walk away when he was yanked back in place. Again, he found himself faced against her and before he could react, he found her lips against his.

He froze.

This was a dream.

Right…?

He was stunned. He stiffened against her and there, had his mouth hung agape. His hair stood on one end as he felt her deepen the kiss, slipping her tongue within.

Before he could respond, it had all been over.

She pulled away from him and looked into his brown eyes, smiling, "Goodnight Maeda." she told him firmly.

Still in quite a daze, he nodded and began to step back, stumbling slightly, "G-goodnight Aya…"

Aya bit her lip as she saw him moving towards a garbage can.

She sighed; she had better save him. Again. He just wasn't safe being alone. With lightning speed, she walked over to him and pulled him by the necktie just before he could come in contact with the aforesaid garbage can.

Maeda stumbled over to her and again, she caught him with ease.

Maeda blushed and there straightened from her, "Err…thanks Aya…"

She chuckled and there took his hand in hers, "Come on."

"Errr…where to?"

"Back to the hotel…"

"Oh…" he trailed off when it suddenly hit him, "Hey! But!"

She chuckled, "Don't worry. I'll take a cab."

There; he was satisfied.

Again, the walk was terribly awkward. He would steal glances at her but wouldn't dare speak. He wouldn't dare ask her why she had done what she had done.

And he really didn't want to be reminded by the fact that he had actually confessed his feelings for her…

He blushed at that thought. He really was lame, wasn't he?

"Well, here we are."

It had been that fast. Again!

He adjusted his glasses, "Heheh…Yes…I suppose so…"

She smiled, "Thanks for tonight. Again. Well, goodnight Maeda, again."

She turned and whistled. A moment later, a yellow cab parked by the side of the road and she opened the door to get in when his voice stopped her; he just had to ask her.

"Wait Aya!"

"What?"

"Why did…why did you…aa…?"

She chuckled, "You gave me too many charms from Japan. Well, it's time I gave you a charm that was purely American, don't you think?"

He said nothing but just blushed.

There, she winked before getting in the cab and driving away…

He smiled lazily as he watched…

American charms eh…? Well, he definitely had to go back to America soon…

He sighed as he remembered his brief kiss. His fingers touched his lips as he recalled it. It had been a…magical feeling.

Well, when he took his flight tomorrow, all he had to do was recall their kiss and he wouldn't have to feel lonesome…

Besides, he could just file for another trip to America anyway…His trip there, facing monsters, almost being melted into a pile of goo, witnessing the death of many…

He sighed.

Although they had all been horrific scenes of blood and gore and could be a source of trauma, he reckoned that it was all worth the trouble and the time.

He had met Aya…

And meeting her, being with her…and receiving a kiss from her totally outweighed all the traumas that he could possibly acquire from such a horrendous experience.

If he could get another kiss from her, he'd take on Eve himself in a heartbeat.

His experience with her…their kiss, was something that was momentary…yet it was unforgettable…it was something he would remember forever.

He grinned, "Goodbye Aya…"

xxxxx

FIN


End file.
